EUROPE: Stealth Lobbyists Creep In

The often cosy relationship between corporate lobbyists and the Brussels bureaucracy was illustrated in the past few weeks as several members of the European Parliament (MEPs) prepared to visit Peru.

ICELAND: Road Threatens Heritage

Environmentalists are concerned that a proposed new road will threaten the ecology of Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland's second largest lake.

GREECE: Migrant Workers in Historic Strike

It was a day when migrant workers said they had had enough.

BOSNIA: A Tentative Rebellion Unrolls

It started with a murder.

EUROPE: The Newspaper World Suffers Another Blow

The financial crisis in the French newspaper Le Monde, that led to an unprecedented two-day strike in mid-April, is symptom of a growing crisis in the print media in France, and in several other European countries.

GERMANY: Churches Going on Sale

What do you do with churches that have long since lost their congregations? In Germany, some are put up for sale, and get converted into luxury apartments, offices, theatres, bistros and restaurants.

KOSOVO: No Freedom from Corruption

The new government in Kosovo has failed so far to live up to its promise of fighting corruption.

RIGHTS: Renditions Ruin the EU Case

Collusion between European Union governments and a secret U.S. torture and kidnapping programme has damaged the EU's efforts to promote human rights throughout the world, an internal paper drawn up by Brussels officials has admitted.

SERBIA: Agreement with EU Deepens Rift

Serbia achieved a long proclaimed foreign policy goal earlier this week when it signed a pre-membership pact with the European Union in Luxembourg.

BOSNIA: Workers Make a Start for Rights

"Parliamentarians, shame on you!" read a sign in Bosnian carried by four union workers in downtown Sarajevo.

LABOUR-SERBIA: Now May Day Means Mobbing

From the days of celebrating workers on May Day, the day now brings reminder of a new practice of mobbing among Serbia's workers.

RUSSIA: Non-Presidential Putin Prepares for New Power

In his last days as President, Vladimir Putin has prepared to bring federal representatives under control of the cabinet in an effort to influence policy after he takes over as Prime Minister.

Q&A: Russia Vacillating over Abolition

How close is Russia to abolishing the death penalty? Possibly just two or three years away, suggests Penal Reform International's director for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, Victoria Sergeyeva. In an interview with IPS correspondent Kester Kenn Klomegah, she explains that leading Russian politicians have already made up their minds on the issue, though their follow MPs still need prodding out of their indecision. Across the country, young, educated city dwellers would welcome the move.

HUNGARY: Left Turn by Right Brings Upheaval

Hungary's governing coalition has announced it is splitting up, leaving the socialists in a minority government, and so prolonging the biggest crisis of the left since state socialism collapsed in 1989.

EUROPE: U.S. Seeks the Peaceful Way for Military Base

NATO countries have given cautious support to U.S. plans to extend its missile defence system to Eastern Europe, just as Washington is working hard to fulfil Russia's conditions to agree to its construction.

EASTERN EUROPE: Where Did All the Workers Go?

Worried about the possibility of a slow-down in economic growth because of labour shortages, Eastern European countries have started taking measures to bring their workers back home, and attract foreign labour. But such government interventions can only have a marginal effect.

Q&A: Ukraine Divided Over Russia

Key pro-Western politicians in Ukraine are promoting the revival of an ethno-cultural nationalism which is built on opposition to Russia and has driven a wedge between Ukrainians - western Ukrainians tend to see the eastern neighbour as the eternal enemy, while many in the east see Russia as a part of themselves.

EUROPE: Dirty Clean-Up Deal Feared

A favourite cliché of commentators on European Union affairs is to describe France and Germany as the bloc's engine. The cliché has assumed a more literal meaning than usual lately as the two titans have concentrated on finding a solution to a vexed proposal for reducing the contribution to climate change made by the private car.

BALKANS: Can’t Beat NATO, Join It

One way or another, NATO still figures in everyday political life in Serbia. And that will make sure that reforms to the Serbian military continue.

PORTUGAL: Women Executives Still a Rarity

It is not common to see a woman’s name on the board of directors of one of Portugal’s biggest companies, and even comes as a surprise to some.

RIGHTS: EU Oversees Greece Failing Refugees

EU regulations are giving sanction to Greek government moves to deny rights to refugees. The principal European instrument used against refugees is the Dublin agreement under which the rights of an asylum seeker must be determined in the first member state that he or she enters.